It was about time that the social structure of the clan was outlined. Damien already knew that his lover would stand beside him at the head of the pack, and he had a few favorites that he believed would make a good fit for second in command, but the rest of them were complete strangers to him. While Marruz had already shown promising talents for the obscure arts and Alarian was most likely the pack's designated healer, only Midar and Aries were proven assets to the pack and the only ones Damien really trusted. Moath was an absolute mystery, and if Moira and Megara didn't show any signs of potential soon then Damien would have to deal with the fact that they were better placed as relics. He needed a proper Listener mostly, but a strong Silencer and a skilled Speaker were also necessary for the clan to have an actual structure. While he believed that the Dark Brotherhood setup was effective, Damien no longer associated himself completely to them. The Melonii name was strong enough to be their own thing, and while the Brotherhood would always be the main influence in Damien's life, his clan would be the start of something new. He just had to figure out how.
With a head heavy on thoughts, Damien prowled through the mist of the Weald, making a trail of pawprints in the dimming snow of the night before. It helped him hush the noisy background in his mind, it helped him make sense of things and, hopefully, it would give him enough clarity to make a choice.
While it was not unwanted, Aries' appearance couldn't have been more coincidental. Aries
Damien's eyes found him approaching, and with a silent nod, he welcomed the young soldier to join him in his routinary patrol. By now, the young Svartell would have realized that the night king was a man of few words, and those he used were always calculated and quite cold if you didn't know the man buried within the ice shard that was his demeanor. But why was Damien so preoccupied with his communication patterns all of a sudden? It got him thinking and, after a few moments of silent walking Damien realized that he had literally never spent a minute alone with Nyx's young ward. Strange, how one could just take things for granted without even realizing it.
Before he knew it, Damien had realized that he needed to fix a relationship he hadn't know was broken for so long, especially when Aries was perhaps the most reasonable choice the night King had to appoint as his Lieutenant.
How do you like the Weald, Aries?
he asked after realizing how bad the situation was. They really had nothing to talk about yet, so going back to the good old ice-breakers (for as bad as he was at them) was his only choice.
Damien couldn't pretend that Drakonis' revealing debut wasn't influencing Damien's judgment of Aries, but he truly cared for the younger male's input and thoughts on his decisions. Nyx trusted him with her soul, and if she could do that Damien guessed he should try it too. He had been loyal, diligent and effective, and those were the values that Damien valued most.
The young soldier's comment was straight to the point and accurate, much like something Damien would have answered himself if he'd been asked the same question.
Correct, but those things I already know...
He had assessed the territory thoroughly before deciding to settle down, and he was certain it was strategically gifted or The Melonii's agenda. What he really wanted to get from Aries was a deeper valuation of what was supposed to become their home, his children's home.
Tell me what do you really think
Damien urged, looking into the male's eyes for a moment to make it clear that he wanted him to be honest.
@Aries if they keep discussing the defense tactics of the territory we could make this a tactician thread!